www.d.umn.edu/cla/faculty/troufs/anthfood/aftexts.html#title
Chapter 1
“Setting the Table
for a Cultural Feast”
Tim Roufs© 2010-2013
www.d.umn.edu/cla/faculty/troufs/anthfood/aftexts.html#title
Chapter 1
“A Biocultural Framework . . .
Introduction”
Tim Roufs© 2010-2013
“Setting the Table”is a good metaphorfor the beginning
of the course
“Setting the Table for a Cultural Feast”
and Chapter 1does a good job of doing just that . . .
“Setting the Table for a Cultural Feast”
as you go through the semesterthere are some fundamental things
to look at . . .
“Setting the Table for a Cultural Feast”
and, being “fundamental”,they, by definition, lay
at the foundation of studies of the
Anthropology of Food . . .
“Setting the Table for a Cultural Feast”
and the major components are brought together by the diagram
“Biocultural Framework for the Study of Diet and Nutrition” . . .
(Figure 1.1.)
“Setting the Table for a Cultural Feast”
The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 4
Ch. 1 “Setting the Table for a Cultural Feast”introduces those
fundamental ideas arranged in three areas . . .
(see your textbook for details)
“Setting the Table for a Cultural Feast”
Biocultural Framework for the Study of Diet and Nutrition
Food Systems
Next Steps
“Setting the Table for a Cultural Feast”
Biocultural Framework for the Study of Diet and Nutrition
Food Systems
Next Steps
“Setting the Table for a Cultural Feast”
we will look at each of these items separately, and revisit them throughout the course . . .
and here we have, basically, a preview/re-view of coming attractions . . .
• Nutritional Status• Biological Makeup• Human Nutrient Needs• Diet• Cuisine• The Environment
• Physical Environment• Sociocultural Environment• Economic and Political Environment
Biocultural Framework for the Study of Diet and Nutrition
is based on the work of Gretel H. Pelto
and her colleagues
the
Gretel H. Pelto
Nutritional Anthropology
2007 Malinowski Award SfAA
Pelto, G. H., Goodman, A.H., & Dufour, D.L. (2000). “The biocultural perspective in nutritional anthropology.” In A.H. Goodman, D. Dufour,
& G. H. Pelto (Eds.), Nutritional anthropology: Biocultural perspectives on food and nutrition (pp. 1-9). Mountain View, CA: Mayfield.
Jerome, N., Pelto, G.H., & Kandel, R. (1980). “An ecological approach to nutritional anthropology.”
In N. Gerome, R. Kandel, & G. Pelto (Eds.),Nutritional Anthropology: Contemporary Approaches to Diet and
Culture. Pleasantville, NJ: Redgrave.
Sobal, J., Khan, L.K. & Bisogni, C. (1998). “A conceptual model
of the food and nutrition system. Social Science and Medicine 47(4), 853-863.
Biocultural Framework for the Study of Diet and Nutrition
Food Systems
Next Steps
“Setting the Table for a Cultural Feast”
the
. . . is the “dinner plate” of the table setting . . .
(so to speak)
. . . so note the features that are highlighted in the following slides . . .
Biocultural Framework for the Study of Diet and Nutrition
Food Systems
Next Steps
“Setting the Table for a Cultural Feast”
. . . is the “dinner plate” of the table setting . . .
(so to speak)
. . . so note the features that are highlighted in the following slides . . .
the
• Nutritional Status• Biological Makeup• Human Nutrient Needs• Diet• Cuisine• The Environment
• Physical Environment• Sociocultural Environment• Economic and Political Environment
the
Biocultural Framework for the Study of Diet and Nutrition
includes
• Nutritional Status• Biological Makeup• Human Nutrient Needs• Diet• Cuisine• The Environment
• Physical Environment• Sociocultural Environment• Economic and Political Environment
the
Biocultural Framework for the Study of Diet and Nutrition
includes
• Nutritional Status• Biological Makeup• Human Nutrient Needs• Diet• Cuisine• The Environment
• Physical Environment• Sociocultural Environment• Economic and Political Environment
the
Biocultural Framework for the Study of Diet and Nutrition
includes
• Nutritional Status• Biological Makeup• Human Nutrient Needs• Diet• Cuisine• The Environment
• Physical Environment• Sociocultural Environment• Economic and Political Environment
the
Biocultural Framework for the Study of Diet and Nutrition
includes
individualnutritional
needs
• Nutritional Status• Biological Makeup• Human Nutrient Needs• Diet• Cuisine• The Environment
• Physical Environment• Sociocultural Environment• Economic and Political Environment
the
Biocultural Framework for the Study of Diet and Nutrition
includes
individualnutritional
needs
“Individual Nutritional Status”forms the core of the model
NOTE: the unit of analysis is the individual(see “Units of Analysis” slides for details)
The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 4
• Nutritional Status• Biological Makeup• Human Nutrient Needs• Diet• Cuisine• The Environment
• Physical Environment• Sociocultural Environment• Economic and Political Environment
the
Biocultural Framework for the Study of Diet and Nutrition
includes
individualnutritional
needs
“Individual Nutritional Status” is set within
“Diet”
but as you will see, “diet” can take on different meanings . . .
• Nutritional Status• Biological Makeup• Human Nutrient Needs
• Diet• Cuisine• The Environment
• Physical Environment• Sociocultural Environment• Economic and Political Environment
Biocultural Framework for the Study of Diet and Nutrition
individualnutritional
needs
diet“refers to the actual foods that
individuals or groups consume to meet their nutrient needs”
The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 9
diet
in the biocultural model diagrammed on p. 4,
human nutritional requirements and nutritional status are found in the box
labeled “diet”The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 9
The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 4
“diet”. . . at times the authors use “diet” in the
collective sense
. . . and at other times they are concerned with how the foods and dishes in a
particular cultural and physical context affect the specific food intake of individuals living in that setting
The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 9
“diet”at times the authors use “diet” in the
collective sense
and at other times they are concerned with how the foods and dishes in a particular cultural and
physical context affect the specific food intake of
individuals living in that setting The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 9
REM:
“units of analysis”
as mentioned in the “Orientation”
units of analysis may include:
– one person– the family– the community– a region– a “culture area”– a culture / “subculture”– a nation– the world– an item or action itself– a “cultural metaphor”
as mentioned in the “Orientation”
units of analysis may include:
– one person– the family– the community– a region– a “culture area”– a culture / “subculture”– a nation– the world– an item or action itself– a “cultural metaphor”
as mentioned in the “Orientation”
units of analysis may include:
– one person– the family– the community– a region– a “culture area”– a culture / “subculture”– a nation– the world– an item or action itself– a “cultural metaphor”
in the following case the item is . . .
“Cuisine”
• Nutritional Status• Biological Makeup• Human Nutrient Needs• Diet
• Cuisine• The Environment
• Physical Environment• Sociocultural Environment• Economic and Political Environment
Biocultural Framework for the Study of Diet and Nutrition
individualnutritional
needs
cuisine“refers to the foods, food preparation
techniques, and taste preferences that are shared by the members of a
group of people”
applies only to groups of people that share a culture
The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 9
cuisine“refers to the foods, food preparation
techniques, and taste preferences that are shared by the members of a
group of people”
applies only to groups of people that share a culture
The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 9
diet
in the biocultural model diagrammed on p. 4,
diet is nested within cuisine to demonstrate that a given set of
preferred preparation techniques and dishes that characterize a particular
culture group has an important impact on the diets of the individual members
The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 10
The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 4
diet“It is important to note that while
acquired food preferences and tastes that are common among any particular group
are power influences on diet, people also eat novel food or, at
times, simply deviate from the group’s preferences”
The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 10
diet“It is important to note that while acquired food preferences and tastes that are common among
any particular group are power influences on
diet, people also eat novel food or, at times,
simply deviate from the group’s preferences”
The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 10
cuisines
“It is also worth noting that
a society’s cuisine interacts with its members’ biological
makeup and nutrient requirements”
The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 10
cuisines“are influenced by the sociocultural and physical environments in which
they develop”• the physical/biological environment and the
social/cultural environment provide opportunities and constraints for human food consumption
The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 10
cuisines“are influenced by the sociocultural
and physical environments in which they develop”
• it may be more correct to say that people “like what they eat”
than to say that they “eat what they like”
The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 4
cuisinesWhere do they come from?
The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 10
cuisinesWhere do they come from?
The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 10
we’ll have a further look at cuisine(s) as we go through the semester
and finally, a quick look at . . .
The Environment
• Nutritional Status• Biological Makeup• Human Nutrient Needs• Diet• Cuisine
• The Environment• Physical Environment• Sociocultural Environment• Economic and Political Environment
Biocultural Framework for the Study of Diet and Nutrition
individualnutritional
needs
more specifically, and conceptually . . .
Three Environments . . .
• Nutritional Status• Biological Makeup• Human Nutrient Needs• Diet• Cuisine
• The Environment• Physical Environment• Sociocultural Environment• Economic and Political Environment
Biocultural Framework for the Study of Diet and Nutrition
individualnutritional
needs
The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 4
• each of these environments provides important
opportunities and constraints for human food consumption
The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 10
• each of these environments provides important
opportunities and constraints for human food consumption
The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 10
we’ll see how this works as we go through the semester
the second main section of Ch. 1 is devoted to
Food Systems . . .
Biocultural Framework for the Study of Diet and Nutrition
Food SystemsNext Steps
“Setting the Table for a Cultural Feast”
Food System
“A chain of interconnected activities that take place in order to get food from the
environment into the mouths of people”
The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 14
“Setting the Table for a Cultural Feast”
Food Systemincludes . . .
food productionprocessing
distributionmarketing
preparation . . .The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 14
“Setting the Table for a Cultural Feast”
Food Systemalso includes . . .
the knowledge and customs that surround food and food
consumption
The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 14
“Setting the Table for a Cultural Feast”
Food System
“. . . it is convenient to view the components in our model as a food
system —a set of mutually interacting
components.”The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 14
“Setting the Table for a Cultural Feast”
The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 4
The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 4
Food System
“If change occurs in one component, the others must change in order for
the system to maintain balance.”• e.g., pigs and pork in the Scottish
cuisine
The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 14
“Setting the Table for a Cultural Feast”
Food System
“If change occurs in one component, the others must change in order for
the system to maintain balance.”• e.g., pigs and pork in the
Scottish cuisineThe Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 14
“Setting the Table for a Cultural Feast”
“The rise and fall of pig raising and pork consumption
[in Scotland from prehistoric times to the present]
and the changing value place on pork as a food in Scottish cuisine,
suggests the important interactions between several
factors . . .”The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 15
• the physical environment• the technologies used to
exploit the environment• the relationship between
colonizers and the colonized• the meanings and values
placed on foodsThe Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 15
no one factor alone accounts for the presence or absence of pork on the dinner plates of Scots
either currently or in the past
The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 15
however, all factors have contributed
to patterns of food production, distribution, and consumption that
influence Scottish diets
The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 15
finally, a brief look at our
“Next Steps” . . .from Ch. 1
Biocultural Framework for the Study of Diet and Nutrition
Food Systems
Next Steps
“Setting the Table for a Cultural Feast”
The Cultural Feast is organized into three parts:
Part I: “Evolutionary and Historical Roots of Human Dietary Practices”
looks at the evolutionary and historical roots of human dietary practices
The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 15
The Cultural Feast
Part I: Ch. 2 examines
primate and hominid diets and their implications
for diet and health today
The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 15
The Cultural Feast
Part I: Ch. 3 looks at
contemporary food systems within a historical context,
focusing on the impact of a series of dramatic changes in
the ways people interact with the environment to obtain food
The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 15
The Cultural Feast
Part II: “Food and Culture” covers modern human populations
and how the technology, social organization, and ideology related to
food production, distribution, and consumption form a set of interacting phenomena that both influence and are influenced by the foods
and diets that people consumeThe Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 15
The Cultural Feast
Part II: Ch. 4 introduces the
concept of culture and describes the influence it has on food
practices, including what is considered edible and how
groups select certain items to make up their dietThe Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 15
The Cultural Feast
Part II: Ch. 4 is followed by a more detailed examination of
the major components of culture:
technology (Part II: Chs. 5 and 6)
social organization (Part II: Ch. 7)
ideology (Part II: Ch. 8)
The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 16
The Cultural Feast
The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 4
Part III: “Strategies for Addressing Nutrition Challenges”
moves beyond the concept of culture to explore the need for and processes of
change in contemporary nutritionit examines some of the important issues
in hunger and dietary change and examines issues and various ways to
improve human dietary patternsThe Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 15
The Cultural Feast
Part III: Ch. 9 describes the world food situation and
the numerous factors that contribute to. . .
undernourishmentundernutrition
micronutrient malnutritionhunger
The Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 16
The Cultural Feast
Part III: Ch. 10
examines the types of solutions that can be implemented at the
internationalnational
household levelsto improve the food supply and make appropriate
food available to families and individualsThe Cultural Feast, 2nd Ed., p. 16
The Cultural Feast
and the units of analysis
with these latter topics,
topics which will be covered towards the
end of the semester,
are . . .
as mentioned in the “Orientation”
units of analysis may include:
– one person– the family– the community– a region– a “culture area”– a culture / “subculture”– a nation / several nations– the world– an item or action itself– a “cultural metaphor”
www.d.umn.edu/cla/faculty/troufs/anthfood/aftexts.html#title
Chapter 1
The Table’s Set“Setting the Table
for a Cultural Feast”
Bon Appétit . . .